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'Uno' (NDS/Wii/PS3) Developer Interview

Think fast and stay on your toes – when you're up, your cards will be played automatically. Keep an eye on your opponent's cards, predict the flow of play, and sort your own hand in the best possible order for the ultimate defeat. Be your virtual self!

WP: Who has the honor to speak with us? State your name, rank, and occupation!

I'm Carmen Pearson, and I'm the public relations manager with Gameloft.

WP: You're bringing Uno to the iPhone, DSi, PSN and WiiWare. Uno's been on Xbox Live for a while, so what prompted the decision to bring it to the other consoles?

CP: Well, Gameloft is traditionally a gaming company that really focuses on creating downloadable games. It can be for mobile handsets, it can be for — as WiiWare has taken off, as PlayStation Network has taken off, and of course now, DSiWare is sort of the next evolution for us. We're really excited to bring this classic game that's popular with people of all ages, children and adults alike. It's sort of the next evolution, and we're happy to bring it to all these different platforms.

WP: Can we expect the same game with the same features? Is there anything radically different from what was on the Xbox Live original?

CP: Yeah, pretty much. The cool part about all these different platforms is that they do take advantage of what's available for each console. For instance, with the WiiWare version, it features voice chat and allows you to use the Miis, so that's pretty cool. On the PlayStation Network, you use voice chat as well, and it has awesome, stellar graphics, as PS3 games all have. The really cool feature about the DSiWare is also the voice chat, but you can also use the camera capability to take your own avatar picture.

WP: Talking about the consoles, even though they're downloadable, going to the Wii and PlayStation 3 is still something of a step up for Gameloft, which traditionally has done mobile phone and handheld games. Has that involved any change in how you develop games and how things work?

CP: Well, we really emphasize quality productions across whatever platform we're working with, so as the file size is much bigger for each of these different consoles, we definitely spend the time. We don't cut any corners or anything like that, and we really focus on still providing a good gaming experience, [regardless of] which platform you're playing.

WP: What are some of the differences when you're just focusing on downloadable software titles versus packaged products? You've done both in the past, but what are some of the advantages of not having that box in the store?

CP: We feel that downloadable stuff is sort of the next evolution overall for the gaming industry. It's easy and accessible for everybody, the price point is really good, and it's something that's easily accessible for casual gamers and traditional gamers, so it's really fantastic.

WP: What about the downsides? Are there any negatives to not having an in-store presence?

CP: Well, with the way the economy is these days, I really think, as a consumer myself, I'd rather easily purchase a game that costs a little bit less than the retail versions at the store and just purchase it in the comfort of my home. If I want to pick it up leisurely or if I'm having a party and we just want to pick up a game, it's a great way to pick it up on the go.

WP: Uno is obviously a well-known brand. Are we going to see any classic Gameloft brands appearing as downloadable titles on the next-gen consoles? I know you had Urban Asphalt as a racer for a while on the handhelds. Any visits to that or other prior Gameloft franchises?

CP: We bring a lot of Gameloft original IP titles to these downloadable consoles. TV Show King is another one that's really great; Brain Challenge is always really good. Asphalt, for sure, has been a popular franchise for us, so we'll continue to bring a lot of those, and we'll see what's in the pipeline soon.

WP: Is there anything about the game that we haven't talked about that you wanted to add?

CP: Uno has gained popularity among so many different types of gamers, and we're excited to bring the classic game to all these downloadable platforms and continue its success.